IceClan Arc 1 The Warriors of IceClan
by Snowwolf7145
Summary: Sunpaw is determined to be leader of IceClan, and Froststar is proving unfit to lead. Froststar 'Removes' Echobreeze (Sunpaw's mother's sister), and Sunpaw is furious. Can she contain the anger and grief within long enough to earn her warrior status? "The Rising Sun and Glowing Ember will unite to destroy the Darkness that lies in wait…" Rated T just in case.
1. Flames Part 1

Allegiances:

Leader: Froststar- pale silver gray tabby with metallic, slanting silver eyes

Deputy: Echobreeze- white dappled she-cat with dappled cloudy gray spots and light blue eyes

Medicine Cat: Shadefur- Dark gray-black she-cat with pale golden eyes, apprentice: Crystalpaw

Warriors:

Shadowflight- Black she-cat with pale green eyes

(Shadefur's sister), apprentice: Sunpaw

Shadefern- Pale brown tabby she-cat with dark green eyes, apprentice, Flamepaw

Owlfeather- Dark brown tabby tom with golden eyes, apprentice: Windpaw

Lightstorm- Bright ginger tom with mist-grey eyes, apprentice: Stormpaw

Vixentail- Light gray tabby she-cat with green eyes, apprentice: Mirrorpaw

Splashtail- Tortoiseshell she-cat with blue eyes, apprentice: Hollypaw

Sunpaw heard the distant yowl of her mentor, Shadowflight echo through the pine trees. 'They're looking for me' she thought. She stopped, and turned back. She picked up the thrush and headed back to camp. As soon as she stepped into camp, Shadowflight appeared beside her, and asked, "we've been looking for you everywhere, you little naughty cat!"

'I've caught one hawk, one thrush, and a small rabbit. I deserve a rest!' Sunpaw mewed in frustration. "And Im nine moons old and nearly ready to be a WARRIOR!"

"Alright, Sunpaw, We were kidding, you tiny mouse!' Sunpaw sighed and prodded moodily at the fresh-kill pile, and padded off to the apprentice's den, NOT looking forward to the next day of training.

As Sunpaw passed the medicine cat's den, she heard a familiar voice."Tough luck, Dumbpaws." snickered a long-furred white she-cat. "Well, somebody's in a bad mood." Sunpaw spat out at Crystalpaw. Crystalpaw slowly blinked her violet eyes and stretched on the frosty ground , her paws raising up and her back arching. "You know….. you're an idiotic brat." Crystalpaw stretched the word "brat" as she scrunched her nose up, but as soon as she heard the muffled coughing of another cat in the medicine den, her eyes widened and she rushed back into the den, yowling "I thought I told you to eat those herbs twice daily! WHY do you never listen?"

Shadefur's hoarse voice was screeched into the clearing as it articulated "YOU JUST GAVE HER WATER HEMLOCK! WHICH IS A VERY POISONOUS PLANT! NOW GIVE ME THE YARROW!"

"I did NOT!"

"Yes you did."

"NOT!"

"YES!"

"Okay. So maybe I did. What of it?"

"Hmm… let's see. Maybe the fact that your clanmate would die?"

Sunpaw rolled her eyes as she remembered the stinging nickname Crystalpaw had given to her, and carried on to the apprentices den. Her paws padded against the tough rock, feeling the grit that was embedded in her paws and definitely ensuring that they would hurt the next day. Oh great… she gritted her teeth together I would have to go the the "Medicine cat's den", also known as the pit of absolute heartlessness. Thanks, Crystalpaw.

Finally, she reached the apprentice's den. When her blue eyes met the soft moss, her heart jumped for joy as she noisily flopped right onto the den's floor. Her denmate, Mirrorpaw, was staring at her, curiously, as Sunpaw drifted into sleep.

Sunpaw woke up at sunrise as she felt pain stabbing her paws. She let out a yowl. "What's the matter?" Her yowling had woken Mirrorpaw. The white cat's heart-shaped marks were glowing in the shade of the apprentice den. "Calm down, Sunpaw." Mirrorpaw's soft voice made Sunpaw relax a little. "Let me look at your paw."

Sunpaw hesitated, then slowly lifted her paw. Mirrorpaw gave it a good sniff and licked it until her pads didn't hurt anymore. "Thanks, Mirrorpaw," said Sunpaw, "I think you should be a medicine cat. You're so good at healing."

Mirrorpaw looked flustered as Sunpaw praised her. "I've been watching how Shadefur and Crystalpaw treat sick or wounded cats."

"Why don't you just go become a medicine cat then?" asked Sunpaw.

Mirrorpaw shook her head. "Vixentail will be mad at me if I don't finish my training." She heaved herself up. "I'm going to help Shadefur gather herbs. See you later". With a flick of her tail, Mirrorpaw was gone in a flash.

"Now….slowly...slowly...I SAID SLOWLY!"

Sunpaw sighed. It wasn't easy to please the ever high-demanding Shadowflight. It was also because her paws still raged and burned from yesterday, and she had refused to go to the medicine cat's den. Not that Crystalpaw cared. Her way of saying "You're important to me" was to grab you by the scruff, drag you to the medicine cat den, tend to you and then send you out while barking orders about taking care of yourself.

Sunpaw had been through that treatment, only there were more insults and orders. She also suspected that Crystalpaw held her scruff a little bit too tightly on purpose.

"Calm down on the poor cat, Shadowflight."Shadefern, a tabby she-cat looked up from the training clearing . Shadowflight twitched a little, before rolling her eyes in exasperation and sucking in a deep breath "Let's try that again, Sunpaw."

"I'm a perfectly good fighter. I bet I can even take you on."

"If you were so good, Froststar wouldn't have named you to be an apprentice."

Shadefern nudged Flamepaw, her apprentice, away from the bickering pair. She was a gentle, motherly kind of cat, always ever looking out for everybody. She would freak out if she ever saw her apprentice get hurt by anybody, making it very hard for Flamepaw.

"I don't wanna go away…"

"Well, you have to. Come along now, Flamepaw, we'll practice your lunges."

Sometimes Sunpaw pondered the idea of Shadefern being a queen instead.

"One paw in front of another, Sunpaw! Stop making those sniffling noises, Sunpaw! Gently, Sunpaw!"

Thoughts swirled inside Sunpaw's head as the chaotic orders from her mentor crashed down in a tumble. She could no longer feel the white frost tingling under her feet as she raced across the field and her ears picked up no sound, except for a monotone voice. The world turned grey, before bursting out into a mixed palette of colors and voices as she finally managed to perfect a spin-scratch attack.

"Good job, Sunpaw!" Yelled Shadowflight from a distance, feeling triumphant because of the fact she had taught her pupil something so advanced. "Am I a fantastic mentor, or what?" She nudged Shadefern and she bounded around, almost accidentally falling into a mud-hole.

Sunpaw couldn't pay less attention to her mentor. What she was looking at, however, was the border between DarkClan territory and IceClan territory. It was a gigantic long yellow-feather field, or what the humans called a "wheat field". At least that was what Shadowflight told her.

Before she knew it, her small paws were padding, no, pacing across the border, striking fear and desperation into Shadowflight's heart. "He-Hey! Sunpaw! Birdbrain! Get back here, you know you're not supposed to cross that!" Shadowflight set off with Shadefern and Flamepaw trailing after her.

It was only after her paws had finally touched the other side of the border into grey, barren stone Thunderpath, that the thoughts were recollected to her. Panting hard, she fell down in exhaustion.

Suddenly, two snake-like cats flashed in front of her.

"Sunpaw, huh." A thin, brown tom appeared in front of her.

"Sunpaw." another cat popped up behind him. This time, it was an equally scrawny tom that Sunpaw recognized by the name of Ratclaw from seeing him around the border.

"Sunpaw." This time, a lean, pretty she-cat with black fur and eyes of amber slinked near the apprentice, echoing her name "What are you doing over the border!?" .

"Nothing. I just….. ran over while training. And how do you know my name?" Sunpaw staggered up and stared at the she-cat.

"One, I don't buy the story. Two, I have my reasons, so would you like us to call Ghoststar?"

Ghoststar was the leader of DarkClan. He was ruthless, spiteful, and cruel, but a good leader nonetheless-By a "good leader" that meant that he could easily terrify the bravest of warriors. A white tom with ghostly grey patches in accordance with his name, he wasn't exactly the one to spare cats from other clans crossing the border, even if it was just an apprentice.

"Umm...no-no... thank you."

"Sunpaw!"

Sunpaw swivelled around to spot Shadowflight near her, limping from her slightly injured left paw and panting "Sunpaw, you mouse-brain!".

"So she's your apprentice?" The black she-cat shot her head in front of Shadowflight's face "Well keep your apprentice under control!". Shadowflight sneered from the rival clan's authority, but had to apologize as she gritted her teeth "I apologize sincerely fo-fo-fo"

"Come on…. let us hear that apology…." Smirked the grey scrawny tom.

"Formyapprentice'sinconsideratebehaviour!" The words tumbled in a mix out of Shadowflight's mouth "Now if you'll excuse us…". "Not so fast!" The black she-cat called after them "We would like to see Froststar about this!"

Shadowflight grimaced, but Shadefern glared at her, so she sucked in a breath as she had done earlier and nodded, leading the three DarkClan cats into IceClan territory.


	2. Flames Part 2

Sunpaw fidgeted nervously as she awaited her punishment.

"Hello" The black she cat bowed her head in respect to "I am Blackshade. This is Clawpelt" she nodded her head in the direction of the brown tom "and this is Ratclaw" She directed her eyes at the grey tom.

"We are from DarkClan, and we would like to inform you that Sunpaw has crossed the IceClan border to DarkClan territory."

Froststar's eyes steeled through Sunpaw. "Is that true...Sunpaw?". "Yes. No. Maybe. Perhaps." Sunpaw stuttered on her words. "The correct answer , I believe, Sunpaw, is YES. YOU DID cross the border." Shadowflight looked close to hitting her apprentice over the head.

"Well then. DarkClan, you may take her."

All the cats looked shocked, even the DarkClan cats. Take Sunpaw? Forever? for the sake of a little border-crossing?

'Yes, take her, we have too many apprentices already. The apprentices' den is simply bursting with young cats.' Replied Froststar coldly. 'Not that I care either.' She added and stalked off to her den under the the tall birch tree. The three DarkClan cats looked flustered, whispering amongst each other. 'What a strange leader! to give her apprentices away to rival clans.' muttered Blackshade and Clawpelt.

"Are you going to take me?" Sunpaw was even more nervous than she had been before.

"Of course not."

Sunpaw's rapid heartbeat slowed back down to a calm, peaceful rate.

"You're too puny."

A nerve snapped inside Sunpaw as she felt rage encase her. "What…did you call me?" She yowled in anger, starting to bush up. "Puny" Clawpelt shrugged "All IceClan cats are puny". The clearing was ominously silent for a while, before Shadowflight narrowed her eyes and softly, but dangerously hissed the words "Say that again...louder."

"I SAID, ALL ICECLAN CATS ARE PUNY!"

"Clawpelt, you idiot!"

"What did I do wrong, Blackshade?"

Immediately, heads popped out from dens and shot up. Even Froststar had whipped her head around to glare threateningly at Clawpelt. "How dare you!" Palefern, an queen yowled. "I'll have your head for insulting us, fool!" Flamepaw bristled. Whitefoot growled menacingly.

"What? Who said we're puny?."

Willowshade's voice stemmed from the nursery. Before anybody had something to say to Willowshade, the DarkClan cats have already sped out at the speed of lightning, leaving only disgusting traces of scent.

"AND STAY OUT!" Gorsekit scrambled his paws around, before screeching as Willowshade pulled him back into the nursery.

A few days later, Sunpaw found her paws hurt even more. They were burning up by now, obviously affecting her walking and training. Shadowflight had hastily sent her apprentice to Shadefur and Crystalpaw, hoping that the two enemies wouldn't pick a fight with each other.

"Oh, so you're here. Lovely. Take a seat on that pile of hedgehog needles while I slowly send you to the dark forest." Crystalpaw rolled her eyes behind Sunpaw's back, prodding some leaves to make them into starclan-knows-what. Sunpaw hissed at the medicine cat apprentice. From the first day of ever meeting each other, the two held strong dislikes for each other. Actually, Crystalpaw basically hated everybody, so there really was no difference.

However, Sunpaw did sit on a pile of moss. As Crystalpaw applied a soothing paste, Sunpaw recognized the pain ebbing away. "How did you get hurt?" Crystalpaw drawled out in a monotone voice. "Don't need to tell you, you don't need to care." Sunpaw replied, gritting her teeth from the pain and sarcasm laced in Crystalpaw's words.

"Hey, umm… c-c-Crystalpaw?"

"What, Nightpaw? Can't you see i'm busy treating a patient, mark the irony in my words as Sunpaw IS NOT PATIENT AT ALL." She suddenly screamed out the last words. "C-c-can you h-h-help m-me with col-l-l-lecting m-m-o-oss?" Although she was a fierce fighter, Nightpaw spoke with a constant stutter and breaks through her words.

"Can't you do it yourself?" Crystalpaw rolled her eyes ignorantly. "Oh, for StarClan's sake, go with her, Crystalpaw! I'll treat Sunpaw." Shadefur pattered over and shooed Crystalpaw away. As the two apprentices left, Shadefur continued applying the paste.

"I'm sorry for her foul attitude."

"It's okay. I'm used to it." Sunpaw groaned all too-knowingly. "You know, deep down she really is loyal to the clan and has a good heart." Shadefur muttered.

"Sure. Deep, deep, deep, DEEP, DEEP down" Sunpaw sarcastically commented.

"There. You should be able to walk as you always have by tomorrow " Shadefur patted Sunpaw's paws.

"Thanks, Shadefur." Sunpaw half-limped out the den, before turning back "Oh, umm… Shadefur?"

"Yes, Sunpaw?"

"I think Mirrorpaw would make a good medicine cat."


	3. Flames Part 3

**Author's Note: Yo readers! I'm really sorry I forgot the DarkClan Allegiances... THis is my first fanfic so please do review!**

DarkClan:

Leader: Ghoststar (White tom with pale ghost-grey paws and extremely pale blue, almost white eyes)

Deputy: Sharpwhisker (Almost-black tom with long whiskers and dark golden eyes)

Medicine cat: Hawkscar (brown dappled she-cat with green eyes)

Warriors:

Bonefang (gray and brown she-cat with sharp teeth),

Clawpelt (thin, brown, tom with scarred pelt),

Ratclaw (thin, scrawny, grey tom with sharp claws),

Blackshade (thin night-black she-cat with amber eyes),

Bloodfur (pretty, dark ginger she-cat with frost-blue eyes),

Snaketooth (sandy-brown dappled tom with snake-like yellow eyes and snaggled teeth), Thorntail (dark grey tom with spiky fur and green eyes),

Apprentices:

Thistlepaw (pale grey she-cat with dark green eyes and spiky fur)

Foxpaw (Ginger tom with slanted amber, evil-looking eyes)

Burrpaw (spiky-furred brown tom with green eyes)

Queens:

Marshfoot (patchy grey and brown she-cat with amber eyes),

Swampfur (muddy brown she-cat with green eyes)

Kits:

Grasskit (muddy brown tom with green eyes)

Mudkit (muddy brown tom with amber eyes)

Featherkit (Gray and black she-cat with dark blue eyes)

Fernkit (Gray and Brown tabby tom with dark golden eyes)

By now, each and every DarkClan cat had already found out of the apprentice who was voluntarily given away. Even Ghoststar was confused. "But….. Why would they do that?" His face was blank with confusion. "We do not know, Ghoststar" Blackshade's tail flickered "That is not the end of their mysteries"

"The IceClan cats are somehow blessed with powers. Each cat holds an elemental power, allowing them to use that force of nature to bend to their will." Blackshade narrowed her amber eyes as she continued to speak "Of course, every once in a while, some of them are born without the powers. This is very rare. What's also rare is IceClan using their powers. We know this from watching them train at night with their elementals."

"They're also immortal, which allows them to live for quite a long time. Well, they aren't technically immortal, but they do have a longer lifespan and survive longer than other clans do. Say….. 86750 moons?"

"Then why isn't their elder's den bursting with elders, as Froststar says their apprentice den is extravagant?" Ghoststar sat tall on the boulder, trying to look as regal as possible. "IceClan is a fairly new clan, Ghoststar. They also have a longer training period than we do, which explains the apprentice problem." Blackshade dipped her head in accordance.

Sharpwhisker, the deputy of DarkClan suddenly sped over. The DarkClan cats were known for excellent speed, sneakiness, cunning, and agility. "Ghoststar...the...the…" He panted, trying to catch his breath. "Speak Sharpwhisker! Speak!" Bellowed Ghoststar as he thumped the ground in authority. "IceClan..Is… Attacking…. The nursery!"

Marshfoot's sudden yowl and a few yelps of pain hovered over the clearing. Ghoststar's black heart of stone jumped. "Assemble the warriors! Protect the kit's den! GET WHATEVER PROTECTION WE CAN. WE ARE AT BATTLE!"

As he finished his sentence, an icy cold paw grabbed him from behind and dragged him down. Froststar attempted scratched his stomach, but failed as she tottered back. "How dare you take our kits!" Ghoststar growled as he lunged towards the IceClan leader. "We need them!" Froststar hissed back, dodging the lunge and managing to scratch Ghoststar's pale stomach.

Sunpaw hesitantly reached out a paw at the shivering kits, still huddled up in their moss. While the gruesome, loud fighting between warriors and apprentices continued outside of the stone-formed den, she was tasked with the job of stealing the kits- the whole purpose of this unnecessary battle.

Right before she had discreetly sneaked inside the cave like structure, she had heard Marshfoot rushing out, screaming " Featherkit! Fernkit! where are you?!"

So those were their names.

"Just you WAIT until Marshfoot comes back! Oh, she will kill you, she will KILL you! Marshfoot would never let her two daughters be hurt, she will KILL-"

Before Sunpaw's heart broke into pieces again, she shut her eyes and swiped the kits from their place before rushing out in breakneck speed.

Holding the kits by their scruffs, Featherkit was lashing out her tiny claws at her chin to protect her identical twin sister. Sunpaw ignored her while she scampered above the den and made a run for it.

A few Moments of screaming for help, running and tripping over objects later, the apprentice and the kits were both worn out. Sunpaw lay exhausted on the leafy forest floor, the dark now encasing the sky.

"I want to go home…." Fernkit softly buried herself and sobbed. Featherkit glared wearily at Sunpaw and said "I'm not done with you-" She yawned "Yet….". Sunpaw suddenly hatched a plan in her head. As she slowly let go of the kits, she hissed, "Go Home! Shoo! Go find your mother!" and sped away, in the direction of the Moonpool, seeking answers.


	4. Flames Part 4

As the rocky slope of the hills near the Moonpool got nearer and nearer, Sunpaw raced along at her greatest speed. No sooner had she gotten to the Moonpool's side, she heard voices. Cat's voices. It was the semi-annual all-clans leader and medicine cat gathering! Sunpaw now remembered. Tonight was the Fire-Moon, or 'Lunar Eclipse' as the twolegs called it. She now noticed that Shadefur, Froststar, Ghoststar, and Ravensong weren't there! But Lionstar, Reedstar, Leafstar, Crowstar, Rowanstar, and their medicine cats Jayfeather, Willowshine, Echosong, Kestrelflight, and Moonclaw were there. She waited behind a large, jewel-like white boulder until the medicine cats and leaders had gone back into the Lake territories, then she darted out, lay down, and touched her nose to the icy leaf-fall water, hoping for answers.

As soon as she opened her eyes, she saw a spotted golden cat padding towards her. "Leopardstar?" Sunpaw exclaimed. "Yes, I am your past life. You are my reincarnation. It was extremely difficult to persuade StarClan to let me have a second life, but I managed. Use your life well!".

As Leopardstar faded away, Sunpaw stretched, and headed back towards IceClan territory. Fortunately, no one seemed to notice her running into the camp. Froststar seemed to be making an announcement. Sunpaw only heard a snatch of the speech.. "...A pack of ferocious dogs on the loose...emergency expedition…Volunteers will go on patrol with Echobreeze…". Sunpaw sidled up to Echobreeze, and whispered "What in the name of StarClan is Froststar talking about?". "If you ever listen, you might find out something useful!" Echobreeze teased. Sunpaw normally didn't tolerate teasing from her clanmates, but Echobreeze was an exception. She was Sunpaw's kin after all AND she was deputy. "There's a pack of dogs loose from their Twolegs, and I'm taking a patrol to drive them out at sunhigh tomorrow, so we should get some sleep.", mewed Echobreeze.

"I wish I could go!"grumbled Sunpaw. "But you CAN'T!". Sunpaw found Froststar looking down at her from the tall birch tree. "This mission is for WARRIOR VOLUNTEERS not PUNY APPRENTICES" Froststar gloated. "WHAT DID YOU CALL ME?!" shrieked Sunpaw. Mirrorpaw and Flamepaw wriggled out of the crowd and whispered to Sunpaw, "Calm down, Sunpaw, don't let her get to you. We know how mean Froststar sometimes is, but she's the leader. You're gonna be risking you warrior ceremony if you argue." "I guess.." Sunpaw mumbled. She was REALLY unhappy now, and she'd been wondering whether or not to sneak out on the mission…..

**Clan Allegiances: (I only put in the important cats in the whole series)**

**ThunderClan:**

**Leader: Lionstar (Lionblaze)**

**Deputy: Dovewing**

**Medicine Cat: Jayfeather**

**Warriors: Ivypool, Cinderheart, Bumblestripe**

**WindClan:**

**Leader: Crowstar (Crowfeather)**

**Deputy: Sedgewhisker**

**Medicine Cat: Kestrelflight**

**Warriors: Whitetail, Nightcloud, Breezepelt, Heathertail**

**RiverClan:**

**Leader: Reedstar**

**Deputy: Grasspelt**

**Medicine Cat: Willowshine**

**Warriors: Petalfur, Minnowtail**

**ShadowClan:**

**Leader: Rowanstar**

**Deputy: Applefur**

**Medicine Cat: Moonclaw (Random Cat :P)**

**Warriors: Tawnypelt, Dawnpelt, Tigerheart**

**SkyClan:**

**Leader: Leafstar**

**Deputy: Stormflower (Leafstar's daughter Stormkit)**

**Medicine Cat: Echosong (Apprentice Frecklewish)**

**Warriors: Firestorm (Leafstar's daughter Firekit), Watersplash (Leafstar's son. Harrykit's name is named after da flood.), Billystorm, Cherrytail **

* * *

**Chapter Comments (Author):**

**I'm sorry I made Sharpclaw die. I like this character but I srsly hated the name Sharpstar. And for Harrykit, I'm pretty sure Leafstar will change it cuz he is named after da traitor Sol. And who in mind would want their son to be named after a traitor? And Littlecloud is TOO OLD to continue be medicine cat, so he is probably dead or elder now. I don't really support Reedstar and his deputy, I just randomly dropped in a cat. There won't be much about the original 5 clans anyway. But there will be a peek about breaking the warrior code. **

Let me tell you a spoiler! The Three and Ivypool will definitely take a huge part in my following fanfics! (But probably not this Arc.)


	5. Flames Part 5

"WAKE UP SUNPAW! unless you want to miss wishing Echobreeze luck!" It was her sister, Flamepaw. Sunpaw opened her eyes groggily and padded over to the camp entrance. To her rage and astonishment, there were no volunteers! Echobreeze was going alone. Sunpaw had an ominous feeling that something bad was going to happen, but she said goodbye to Echobreeze and paced miserably around and around. "Calm down, Sunpaw! I'm gonna be fine! I've been a warrior for seasons!" "I sure hope so. You can't be sure, Echobreeze." growled Sunpaw.

At Moonhigh, every cat in the camp was looking at the entrance. Echobreeze was supposed to return at Moonhigh, but there was no sign of her. "Sunpaw, Flamepaw, Mirrorpaw, Windpaw, Oakpaw, and Hollypaw, you must go looking for Echobreeze." Froststar instructed.

When the patrol left the camp, Sunpaw tasted the air, and scented Echobreeze. Tainted with the unmistakable scent of Blood and Death. Sunpaw's ominous feeling got stronger. The others immediately picked up the scent and followed it all the way to the heart of the snowy pine forest. Flamepaw tripped over a red-stained object. It was the dead body of a cat. Flamepaw screamed with terror and launched herself up the nearest pine tree and sat shivering in a branch. When Sunpaw realized that the bundle was Echobreeze, she gave a tremendous wail that sounded like a dog's howl and started to drag the body towards camp. The rest of the patrol was stricken dumb by the horror of the scene. There were twelve red lumps in the clearing, the bodies of the dog pack. It seemed that Echobreeze had succeeded, but died of her wounds. The apprentices carried the dead deputy back to their clan's camp in utter, miserable silence.

**Poor Echobreeze :( She wasn't meant to die like that.**


	6. Flames Finale

It was sunrise. Echobreeze's body was already under the soil. Sunpaw had found a smooth blue stone and marked the grave. Just when she came slumping back to camp, Froststar had announced a new deputy. It was Shadowflight. Shadowflight stood, smirking in that smug, hateful way she had of announcing victory. Sunpaw gave an indignant snort. at once, Shadowflight leaped down from the great tree and called to her. "I've had you on my paws way too long. If you're so determined you can become a warrior, TAKE ME ON!"

Sunpaw was surprised that the final assessment would be in camp, watched by everyone, but now, the three other apprentices (Flamepaw, Windpaw, and Mirrorpaw) had to do it. They had to fight their mentors!

Before the fighting assessment started, Mirrorpaw cried out, "WAIT!"

Froststar stalked forwards until she was a mouse length from Mirrorpaw's face. "What?" She sneered.

"Well… I was about to tell you just now before you told us to battle. Shadefur would like me to be a medicine cat." Mirrorpaw answered hestitantly and shrunk back.

Froststar scowled and shoved the young cat roughly into the medicine cat's den, where Shadefur wrapped her smoky black tail around the young white cat and coaxed her gently into the medicine cat's den. While Froststar wasn't looking, Mirrorpaw and Sunpaw stuck their tongues out to the white leader. Froststar looked clearly disappointed.

_Perhaps she wants to get rid of us by forcing us to fight our mentors claws _UN_sheathed…_ Sunpaw thought bitterly. "The apprentice who wins his or her fight will become a warrior immediately!" Froststar yowled with relish as she sat watching on the great tree.

Shadefern seemed clearly reluctant to hurt her apprentice, whom she cared for like a mother for her kit, so she let Flamepaw win without much of a struggle. Flamepaw's fight had taken only the matter of several heartbeats. But Shadowflight proved herself as a fierce fighter who would spare no mercy. She was prepared to even permanently disfigure or cripple Sunpaw if it pleased Froststar. But the young she-cat had so much anger and grief at the death of her dead mother's sister, a burning wrath that fueled her on as she slashed and bit like one of the wild Northern Tundra Wolves that hunted the Clans and treated them like prey. When Sunpaw was about to slash open Shadowflight's blood-soaked throat, the black she-cat cried out in a hoarse voice, "Stop! I surrender!". Sunpaw glanced around and saw that though Flamepaw had been unscathed, Windpaw had been battered cruelly, as though his win over his mentor, Owlfeather had been very narrow.

She glanced down at herself. Her fur was soaked with Shadowflight's blood and there were several scratches and a wound down her flank. Froststar was, by now, extremely sulky at seeing all three apprentices alive and somewhat well. So upset, that she ordered Shadowflight to give the apprentices their warrior names on behalf of herself while she leaped clumsily down from the great tree and stormed back to her den. Shadowflight, surprisingly, weak, beaten, humiliated and battered though she was, had some new-found respect for her former apprentice whom she had treated so roughly before. "Sunpaw, step forward!" Shadowflight called proudly with her eyes glowing. "Do you promise to honour StarClan and serve IceClan with your life?" "I guess so…" stuttered Sunpaw. "Then I hereby give you your Warrior name: Sunflame!" the new deputy went on. "StarClan honours your swiftness, intelligence, strengh and great courage!" Shadowflight finished with a flourish. Flamepaw had become Flameheart, and Windpaw had become Windpelt.

Sunflame bounced with joy and rubbed muzzles with her two friends. Then, she sidled up to Mirrorpaw and hissed in her ear, "Psssssst! it's me!" Mirrorpaw looked around in confusion "BOO!" yowled Sunflame. Mirrorpaw leaped into the air and landed clumsily on her belly with a loud flopping sound. "Are you still glad you're not becoming a Warrior now? You've got to deal with CRYSTALFUR!" and as a matter of fact, Crystalpaw had gotten her medicine cat name Crystalfur, and was now bossier and giving more tough love than ever, now that she had more 'Authority'. "I'm sure I can deal with her!" Mirrorpaw replied confidently, as Crystalfur flashed Mirrorpaw and Sunflame 'The Evil Eye'.

_I can take her!_ Mirrorpaw thought, smiling to herself. Suddenly, Crystalfur's head pounded with a unbearable pain, and Mirrorpaw's voice rang through clearly. _I can take her! I can take her! I can take her!_

Crystalfur finally recognized the voice, snapped her head towards the speaker. "We'll see about _THAT_!" hissed Crystalfur menacingly from the corner, her violet eyes suddenly flashing with hatred and menace.

** -End of book 1-**

**Ooooooh... There are many riddles that are unsolved... Why is Froststar acting so strangely? How would Mirrorpaw 'take' Crystalfur? What would Crystalfur do? **


End file.
